Three terrorists, including a Pakistani, who had killed constable Mohammed Saleem Shah, were gunned down in Kulgam district of Jammu & Kashmir by security forces in an encounter on Sunday.
Constable Saleem, who was on leave, was abducted by terrorists from his residence in Mutalhama area of Kulgam in south Kashmir on Friday.
His body was recovered from a nursery near village Redwani Payeen on Saturday. The body bore severe torture marks indicating that he was "brutally tortured to death" by terrorists, a police spokesperson said.
He said a joint patrol of security forces launched searches at Redwani area in Kulgam district in south Kashmir this morning after receiving credible inputs about the presence of terrorists in a cluster of houses.
"As the security forces advanced, hiding terrorists fired resulting in a brief encounter in which three terrorists were killed. No collateral damage occurred during the encounter," the spokesperson said.
He said on the basis of incriminating materials seized, the killed terrorists were identified as Muawiya, a foreigner of Pakistani origin, Suhail Ahmad Dar, a resident of Redwani Bala and Mudassar alias Rehaan of Katarsoo.
"As per police records, terrorists were affiliated with the proscribed terror outfit leT (lashkar-e-Toiba) and HM (Hizbul Mujahideen)," the spokesperson said.
He said Muawiya's involvement was established in a number of civilian killings. Suhail, who was working as a labourer earlier after he had dropped out from school, had later joined a terrorist outfit.
"Police probe is on for ascertaining complicity of the other co-conspirators who assisted in the commission of the gruesome crime leading to the death of police person Saleem," he said.
Some arms and ammunition including, but not limited to, two AK 47 rifles and a carbine have also been recovered from the site of encounter, he said, adding police have registered a case and investigation has been initiated into the matter.